Diary of James and Alice Greening
This diary was kept by
James and Alice Greening during their voyage to Australia on board the s.s. Hankow in 1886.
A scan of the copy of the original documents can be found
here.
Sep 15th 1886
Fenchurch St leave there 10 o'clock get to Tilbury Docks and embark on board the "Hankow" all friends ordered off and the start at 12.30 get to Gravesend start from there at two o'clock, weather ...tyfully fine till 6 o'clock when it get's rough a good many are sick. Alice is one of them. After we leave the Thames it is fine and the sun is shining bright and ... fine. I enjoy it very much at 10 go to bed. Good night.
Tursday Sep 16th
We are sailing well and it is quick, Alice is ill today as many are. We can see land 10 miles off. We are 220 miles from Gravesend. We can see many ships. Today we reach Plymouth 5 pm stay here all night in Plymouth ... (harbour) it is very pretty many go ashore. I have great reason to thank God for being so well I have no more to tell you today.
Friday Sep 17
Still at Plymouth there are many persons on the ship selling fruit, books, opera glasses. We are surrounded by small boats to take passengers ashore and back. From 2 pm the ship is a mile from Plymouth at 11.30 am a steam boat comes alongside with passengers and there friends. 12.30 we leave. The sailors are busy spreading the sails and we have a nice break and are off full speed. Now it is getting dark and we can see lights from other ships going in other directions and now I wish you good night.
Distance from Plymouth 76 miles
Saturday 18th
With praises to God I must begin I am still well but many are sick midnight we reached the Bay of Biscay and it is very calm 5 stowaways made there appearances in the night they will have to work there passage many of the sailors are doing that. 6 pm we have had it fairly calm all day quite a variety of pastimes, some reading, some playing, singing and dancing to the strain of a violin, some groaning others sick and a good many wishing they were in "home sweet home". I was very much interested in looking over the side of the ship, watching a great many little fish in the water they look like sparks they are called ...
Distance ran today 253 miles
Sunday 19th
I went up on deck at 7 am and just in time to catch a glimpse of France 5 or 6 miles off. We left the Bay of B about 4 am this morning the water very smooth. A few of us gathered ... the latches forward of the vessel and sang some ... hymns, to the right the island of Medraia [Madeira?] we have met several ships but none as large as the "Hankow" (The crew is numbered at 80) The weather is lovly we have great cause to be thankful to ... who rules the ocean
282 miles today
Thursday 23rd
Weather fine again this morning we have plenty of canvas up to keep the sun off it is getting warmer every day. Our sea trip is very nice in fine weather. There are about 300 on board and as we are nearing St. Vincent a great many are writing home. Alice being better we are in the "forecastle" together. writing as we have just heard that we shan't stop at the cape as expected. Very warm
284 miles
Friday 24th
We are favoured with another fine day. I have been up on deck since very early. I have kept my watch at the same as London time but we are losing, have lost an hour since we left. The captain and officers have an instrument that they get the time from by looking through it at the sun. There is not much to be seen but sky + water and a few flying fish.
286 miles today, lost one hour
Saturday 25th
I got up at six this morning weather very fine. The sailors are very busy scrubbing the deck they do it every morning, and today they are preparing for an importation of coal at St. Vincent. At 7 o'clock we reach an island about 10 miles from there a very high lighthouse stands on the rocks. At 1/2 past eight we reach St. Vincent
292 and up to 6 46 more
Sunday 26th
The busiest day in the week there are several barges along side with coal with coal it is put over in bags and there are about a hundred black men on board dragging the coal after them without shoes or stockings and putting it into the hold for the engines, and nearly all of us are a black as they with the coal dust, there are several little naked black boy round us in boats will dive in for money, the passengers throw in the water and they dive for it and get it before it reaches the bottom.
Monday 27th
Still busy coaling the men has been working all night taken in about 6 hundred tons the men are hlf starved they are so glad of a sea biscuit after dinner they crowd round the cabin doors to see if there is anything left from dinner and if they can get hold of a meatbone they gnaw it just like a dog or tiger, their ganger a rough looking fellow with a coat of many patches and colours, a regular slave driver with a great stick in his hand, keeps them at work. At dinner times they have a large iorn pot of oatmeal they all sit round it, a larg wooden spoon one haves spoonful, and puts in into the pot, then the next takes the spoon fills his mouth and so on all round. St. Vincent looks a pretty place from the harbour, about 5.000 inhabitants, it's surrounded with very brown mountains which loks as if there had a volcanic eruption sometime, the Town lies in the valley, the houses are one story high chiefly of wood.
Tuesday 28th
Today its fine and warm another stowaway makes his appearance this wich hid in the hold from St. Vincent we are for a long trip this time, we expect about 5 weeks straight sailing upon the mighty deep, we are just got clean from the coal dust, the the water is so calm, if we were to shut our eyes, we should not know we moveing. It's a very rare thing to see a bird now, but I saw one today It look like Noah's dove, it had nowhere to rest it's foot
Distance 228
Wednesday 29th
Its a little stormey today, one of the passengers cried out a man over board, caused an excitement a board, the news in a minute spread all over the ship, the officers throws over 2 life buoys, the ship stops instant the sailors are lowering the life boat, and behold it was only a hat fell off, the man who cried out was fetched up before the Captain and repramanded, a grand concert is to be held tonight the only one for many miles it's held on the first class passingers deck, at 9 o'clock its beginning to rain, and Im off home, Good night
distance 254
Thursday 30th
It has been a very wet night and it is this morning, at 8 o'clock its cleared up nice and fine, the piston rod of the engine in got hot, she is stopped to be to be replaced, it hinders us 2 hours, dureing the time, 2 sharks keep swimming round the ship, the sailors are trying to catch it, they just got it on the hook, while drawing it up on deck its mouth tore away, and we lost it, it was abot 6f long by f2, now we see a seagull flying over the water, once more wishes his readers good bye
distance 242
October, the first
Wwe are sailing well today its getting more plasant now the most of them are getting over their sickness now except me, I have not began mine I thought it would be as well to wait a bit till the others were got well first, some said they wished they had never started, others say they will get off at the next port, but they forget it now they are got better, we expect to cross the linee too night late, we have a good many picknics up on deck now its fine.
distance 263
Saturday 2nd
We are out on the ocean saleing to a home beyond the tide, we croosed the line between 2 and 3 o'clock this morning, its generaly very hot just then, but it was a nice breeze, we have a lot of washing the husband helps wash and hang out much to the amusement of the bystanders,
distance 247
Sunday 3
Sunday but its very little different to weekdays heres just the same kind of work for sailors, engineers, enginedrivers cooks baker butcher stewards and Officers as other days, just a few of us had a service this morning very few out of all on that on board that cared anything about it. a flying fish came on board today, it was about the size of a bloter, a sailor caught it and preserved it, its wings was 8 or 10 inches long
distance 257
Jims birthday
Monday 4th
The weather is got much cooler now, in the very hot weather, down in the messrooms in 2 minutes the sweat would roll of us like peas, now we are got farther out, instead of looseing time we gaine time, we have gained 1 hour, heres a ball entertainment given by the crew, heres a man walking too and fro the deck wringing a bell with a board before and bhind him, written on Come to Johnsons ball one and to night. on the programe is written, Carrages to be ordered at 10 o'clock
Distance 260 miles
Tuesday 5
Well I scarsley know to tell you today, nothing extraordinary has taken place today, but I know its a general English custom to talk about the weather, when there no other subject, we have head wind today it makes the ship roll very much, God is very mercifull to us, in giveing such nice weather for the voyage, as well as his presence wich is better than life, it will any burden light and easy to bare
Distance 227 stopped 2 hours
Wednesday 6
The wind is rather cold this morning, the sudden change in the weather is making many of the passengers ill. There is an Island to be seen about 13 miles ahead, called St. Helena, where Bonaparte was imprisoned, there a great excitement among the passengers, they are looking at it so earnstly, as if they had never seen land before. (it was the only land we seen for for 5 weeks) we reached there about 6 pm near enough to signal, to the Inhabitants by means of flags, so as they can report to the papers that we have passed allwright. The island is pretty to look at it looks about 20 miles longs, standing out in the midst of the Sea, it belongs to the French we can just see the houses there are some very high rocks and the land looks barren, there is to be another concert to night
Distance 244
Thursday 7
A cold head wind again this morning it makes a difference to our travleing as you will see by the figures, we have not seen a ship since we lef St. Vincent, we can se nothing byt sky and water, it seems like the reputation at Church, as it was in the beginning is now and ever shal be world without end Amen,
Distance 241
Friday 8th
The weather is warmer to day there are several passengers on board suffering with consumption, one is come just to recieve benefit from the voyage he seems to get weaker every day he keeps in bed, the sea is rough today the water rises up like mountains one moment, and down in a valley the next, but it does not take the effect of this ship, as it would of a little sailing ship, but it comes over the deck sometimes, and gives a Christening
Distance 236
Saturday 9th
The weather is very much the same as yesterday, its scarsley hot enough for laying about on the deck now, I should recomend a sea voyage too anyone suffering with bad cor... or the Cog, or anyone requires rest, we have a Surgery on board, bacery, butchery, cookery, Hospitals, engineers, carpenters, blacksmiths, fowls, ducks, geest, pigs, sheep, a dog, cat, rats, mice, no lice, bees, birds and that's all I have to say,
Distance 230
Sunday 10th
This morning its a cold wind we can se several sea birds flying around us this morning one Albertross, and several Segulls, our coats are very exceptable now, we march about the deck like you have seen the patients marching too and fro In the Asylum gardens in Horcutt lane for exercise.
Distance 240
Monday oct 11th
Its still a cold air this morning, I had a game of tag with a lot of young men, heres a young man from Cirencester I have only just foud out his whereabouts, he has a sister living in Fairford Retreat it rains a little this evening. at 7.30 pm, about 20 of us met in the enclosed birth mesroom, for a spelling bee, each took hus turn, it was suceeded by a political meeting subject local option, we had a scotchman in the chair, nearly all spoke in their turn, the negative was carried by the majority of one, the meeting closed at 10pm
Distance 238
Tuesday 12th
This morning its warmer, and the sails are up, the wind is in our favour we can see a lot of birds flying around this morning, they are black with white spots, they are called Cape Pigeons,they have feet like a duck, they live on the water, there are some much larger birds, as big as Goose, Albertrosses and Seagulls, they have followed us all day, the Ship frightens the fish up to top of the water and then the birds catch them, and they get a good liveing with what is thrown overboard, this evening a lot of the young Men are parading the deck some dressed in femaleatire and ful sized bussle, and they had a rough Band playing
Distancce 267
Wednesday 13
Its very wet this morning, till 9 am but by travelling we have gone through it into a fine day, the wind is in our favour blowing us along fine, we have not touched the Cape by 500 miles we have passed it two days ago, we have a political tonight subject free trade, as its wet on dek we have a good number here
Distance 287
Thursday 14
Today its a rough wind it makes the ship rock very much, it makes some of the people ill again, the wind is a good quarter too blow us along, I saw several large fish this morning, nearly as large as a man, they call Phorpouses [Porpoises] some of the passengers have seen several Whales, we have gained 2 more hours,
Distance 308
Friday 15
It is much quieter to day its much better for the sickly passengers, we have people of many nations on board there are English, Irish, Scotch, French, German, American also several who have been out before and are returning as they dont like the English climate after Australia. This evening the second mate threw overboard a patent light that is used on a life buoy in case of any one falling overboard at night it will burn for 1/2 an hour in any wind or weatherand serves as a guide for the one that is in the water and also the sailors in the lifeboat it looked very pretty in the water and floated as long as we could see it. We had a meeting this evening on the land question of England, Ireland, Scotland Australia New Zealand and Queensland. There were several speakers giving their experence there are men who have been in the countrys the chairman gave us a good discription of England form Dean & Saxons discoverys
Distance 287
Saturday 16th
This morning the weather is fine we stopped one hour and 40 minutes during the time several gentlemaan with lines + hooks trying to catch some fish and birds one of them he ... caught a Cape Pidgeon it got entangled in the line by its wing and another gentleman shot it they are very pretty birds
Distance 266
Sunday 17th
The weather is quite different today the sea very rough and the wind cold enoug for November at home. The sailors and officers are dressed in Mackintosh suits and high boots the spray keeps coming over us when we are on deck and the ship rools so much we cant walk on deck without slipping and sliding about from one ... to another. We had a nice little service this morning, a lot of ..., hymnes, reading and prayer The weather is so rough that the people are too ill for the evening service
Distance 287
Monday 18th
It is much pleasanter today there is no spray coming over the deck but the wind is very cold we have to walk about to jeep warm. We have a good promilage[?] of water and all round us nothing but water and pleanty of it which is a good thing as we are thorough water advocates. We have gained another hour. This the chairman ... his chair upon the land question, several schemes were divised and set fourth for more equality the land in letting the government have the power of dividing it ... small farms
Distance 254
Tuesday 19th
Much more comfortable this morning and warmer. I have just being having a game at tug of ware just the exercise. Alice is still ill. This ship has weatherd some very rough storms. 4 years ago when she came from America in the Atlantic Ocean she lost lifeboats and every thing that was movable on deck. Some sailors were washed overboard and lost. She is 418 feet long by 42 across we have gained another hour
Distance 259
Wednesday 20th
Weather wet, but warmer. This evening we have a meeting composed of reading, recitations + singing and enjoyed it very much a good selections. I saw 2 or 3 whales this morning but could not give a good discription of them because they were ... under water except their heads which rose out of the water 2 or 3 times they were a good distance off.
Distance 266
Thursday 21st Oct
The wind is rough again rolls us about and the spray comes over the deck but the wind is fovourable for us ... journey. I dont mind its being rough for myself but Alice is ill. Knowing that in whom I put my trust will work together all things for one good. The bitter will be sweet and the medicin good. It is good to have some one in whom we can find a friend when all other things are, I was going to say fled, but I suppose it is we that are fled.
Distance 303
Friday 22nd Oct.
Still rough today the ship goes ip the side and down the other like being in a swing, and is difficult matter to walk on deck we have to run from pillow to post the tins cups, buckets are rolling about in all directions the cooks have to fasten their cooking vessels on the range with iron bars or else they slide off with the ship rolling. We have a meeting tonight to discuss wether trade union or none union is best for the working men the majority were in favor of unions as they are the men the men to stick ogether and keep us wages
Distance 309
Saturday 23rd Oct
Today we have bright clear weather but cold wind about 11 o'clock we had a very sharp hailstorm and rainy at times the rest of the day and we find our coats very useful yet. ... more good night
Distance 277
Sunday 24th
If we were on shore today we could sing another six days week is done another sabbath is begun. it is beginning here but just like another day all kinds of work going on It is so cold today with snow Some are playing at snowballing, others walking to and fro for exercise and warmth we gained two more hours
Miles today 287
Readers please excuse writing
Monday 25
Its still cold wind, with snow and hail this morning, very much like March weather in England. This evening we have a meeting subject is Christianity or Secular knowledge improving the World at large, The first speaker said everything against Ministers, Bishops, Priests Parsons and Missionaries and called it Christianity, but as time advanced the subject got warmer and more interesting till the time expired 2 hours is the time from 7.30 to 9.30
Distance 288
Tuesday 26
It is not much warmer today and rather dull, we are soon turning North then it will be warmer, this evening we have an interesting entertainment composed of reading, resitations and songs, we have a good number present and it helps to break the monotony of the journey, we can see the Southern Cross very plainly tonight it is 4 stars in the form of a cross and turns round in the night. The time has gained another hour
Distance 290
Thursday 28th
The sea is calmer this morning. About a fortnight ago a little decease broke out among the children, some are better but others are taking it. We hve several Drs. on board but one in practice is by no means a favorite and nearly everyone is complaining about him. Nearly all the passengers are recovered from their sea sickness 2 or 3 have been ill nearly all the wau, and some have not been ill at all it affects some a deal more then others
Distance 293
Friday 29th
We have a nice day with us to day it's getting warmer and very pleasant on deck a few birds still follow us to night one of the passengers has a violin playing and many of the rest are dancing at 7.30 the chairman resumes his claim on monday nights subject there are or three infidals in the Debating Class which of course being all the ... against Christians. The debate is finished tonight
Distance 282
Saturday 30th
The first thing this morning we meet a sailing vessel. The first we have seen since we left St. Vincent nearly five[?] weeks ago a great many run on deck to see it, the wind is in our faour and we have one the greater part of our journey which many are thankful for, Alice among them. the ... she is getting better Now at 6 pm we cach a sight of Western Australia we stop at Albany for coals
Distance 292
Sunday 31st
We reacht King George's Sound [?], Albany at 12 o'clock last night and this morning we we woke up found our cabin very dark and Alice looking through the port hole south[?] she could see a ... so we must be at the warfs, which turned out to be a ship with a crane in it for supply the coal and the and the deck hous of it was just opposite our cabin. At 10 pm a Dr. comes from Albany to meet one Dr and to know if all is well on board as some of the children are still i we are quarentined an none of us allowed to go ashore which is a great disappointment to many as it looks such a pretty place and containes about 2000 inhabitants, english, they are paying men 2p[?] per hour for loading the coal a great many men are lately gone to gold mines at Adelaide so that makes men scarce we have gained another hour.
Distance 135
November 1st Monday
This morning the weather is lovely the cold quite gone the sun shining bright the water's smooth as Fairford brook and the "Hankow" glides along like a steamer on the Thames. Surely goodness and mercy has followed us all the way and is not going to let us go yet.
Distance 187
Tuesday 2nd
Fine weather again the passengers for Adelaide are having their luggage got up from the hold and the sailors are also preparing for unloading the cargo. The young men have a concert tonight on the quarter deck We have gained one more hour
Distance 261
Wednesday 3
Rougher this morning the spray comes over sometimes but the ship rocks very little the sailors are daily painting and varnishing the ship ready for port
257
Thursday Nov 4th
This morning at 6 o'clock we are in sight of the Cargeroo (Kangaroo) Island, we run upside of it, it's about 90 miles x 60, it looks covered with bush and very pretty with hills and dales nearly all over it, we are about 10 miles from ut, it looks no more than a 1/4 looking over water is very decieving, its nice weather now, I just dozens of porpoises simming and diveingin front of the ship, they swim very fast they look about 6f long, their is very much like a ducks bill. 2 pm now we have a nice view of he shore and we are running up the side. We see green field, trees, houses and steeples it's a very pretty site, at 4.30 pm we reach Adelaide, semefore (semaphore) 4 miles from the shores, 10 miles from Adelaide, some of the passengers are gone ashore in steamboats Custom Officers, pilot, Docter, Comp Agents are on board, it's gone very quiet now so many gone ashore the ship being stopped, it's a lovely moon light night
distance 257, afternoon today 50
Friday 5
the men are here this morning with lighters for discharging the cargo for Adelaide 300 tons, we are recieving 100 tons of coal, there wore passengers gone ashore today some have left to go to Adelaid gold diggins recently discovered, themen discharging the cargo get 12s per day, at 7. pm we are leaveing for Melbourne, this is a lovely evening a splendid bush fire,
Saturday 6th
It's very rough this morning and the waves are coming over the side. Alice got wet this morning, and coming down to change fell down the steps into the messroom but is not much ... we have been in the bakehouse all day helping the baker make the dough for tomorrow
Distance 194
Sunday 7th
This morning it is very calm and bright we are in sight of land, the Pilot met us this morning to lead the ship to the ... we get to Saurange the place where the ship is to unload at 4.30 pm, the Custom Officers are soon on board to seal down the hatchways with tape and sealing wax and there are plenty of ... to take passengers ashore.
Distance from Adelaide 498
Monday 8th
This morning everybody is very busy packing up and getting their luggage ready and the the lighters are alongside to take away the cargo Alice and I are going to Melbourne today as it is fine. We are just got back enjoyed the day so much, we walked up from the station the subways are so pretty of each side of the road the houses here built of wood and nice gardens and verandas in front they lookes so pretty Alice wants to stay here the city is very nice the houses there are all brick and stone and the streets are laid out so nicely, very wide long streets and the train is worked by cable under ground and all we can see of it is like the signals on a railway just two handles one to stop it and the other to moe it on, it runs on rails. We are leaving 3000 tons of cargo here.
Sunday 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th
I am going to put all the days in one as we are doing nothing but the unloading. Many of the passengers are still ashore haven been there all the week they say trade is great,
Sunday 14th,
At 3 am this morning we start off for Sydney the weather is warm, we keep in sight of the coast all the time and it is very pretty indeed, we can see mountains and little islands and a lighthouse that is used to signal the ships. the news of our having passed it will reach Sydney in 1/2 an hour, so that they will know what time to expect us. We have gained one more hour.
Monday 15th
We have fine weather sill and very warm the sailors are very busy painting the ship ready for port. ... we glad when we get there I have enjoyed the voyage much but Alice says she never wants to make another trip.
Distance 260 and 230 to go
Tuesday 15th
We hope to arrive about 11 pm so we were up early, packing up and getting ready for landing, the sight is something splendid coming up the harbour, which is called the prettiest in the world, at 11 pm the Dr, meets us and we have to stay outside the Heads until he goes to Sydney and back as we have had sickness and he cannot give us a clean bill of health at 4 pm he returns and there is a general hurrah as he says all clear and we sail away for the warfs getting there about 5 pm to find Mr Brown[?] waiting since 9 this morning, he is very pleased to see s and we gladly march off to his house were we stay nearly a week and the rest you know.
Good Bye
This ended the first lesson.
